Bonding
by spinzgirl
Summary: Keith wrestles with his feelings for Allura, and needs help sorting them out. Immediately follows the last episode of Season 6, so do not read if you haven't watched the season yet. Next Chapter: "Through Your Eyes" Chapters posted separately due to difference in ratings


As anxious as Keith was to get off the barren rock they'd landed on he knew his team needed time to rest and eat, Allura especially. She appeared to be in pain but showed no outward signs of injury. He couldn't put his finger on it right away until she looked over at him.

Her eyes had lost their luster.

She sat alone, propped against Blue as she picked at her food absentmindedly. In his head he tossed around the idea of going over to talk to her, though his heart wasn't in it. Every time he saw her his stomach churned. She had grown close to Lotor. Too close. So now Keith knew his absence didn't mean as much to her as she'd once claimed it did.

Ducking his head he made his way over to Black to check on Shiro, who was being tended to by Romelle and Krolia. They were keeping close tabs on him, fretting over him with every wince or groan he made. Keith knelt beside them and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We're going to need to make a few stops along the way. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Shiro nodded appreciatively, then leaned gingerly to the side to peer around Keith. "Don't shut her out, she needs you now," he muttered, cocking his head in Allura's direction.

Keith grimaced at the suggestion. She may have needed him once, but that was long ago. Two years for him, at least. He'd thought of her every single day, and yet-

"Listen to Shiro," Krolia spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. "She won't ask for help, you'll have to offer it to her first."

"Then why don't you ask Lance," Keith retorted through is clenched jaw.

There was no response, but the looks his mother and friend gave him left no room to argue. He was going to have to go talk to her. About what he couldn't say, however.

The gravity on this tiny planet was weaker than Earth's and yet it felt like his feet were made of lead. The distance he had to cover was relatively short, but required he walk past the rest of the team as they sat huddled around a portable heater. The last thing he needed was for someone to notice him headed her way. By the time he reached her his heart was pounding in his chest.

"Hey, Allura, you okay?" he asked quietly. Somehow, no matter how he felt at the moment, his voice always betrayed his feelings for her.

Once again the Princess glared up at him, sighed, and looked back at her dinner. She seemed to half expect him to turn heel and leave. When he didn't she simply reached over to pat the ground beside her, an implied invitation to sit. Talking may or may not have been her intention, and Keith wasn't sure how to proceed as he folded his legs to set himself down next to her. Ticks went by as not a word was spoken between them.

For once Keith appreciated Lance's boisterous talking as it made the silence much less uncomfortable. It's not like he needed to know what was being said, just that someone else was saying it. Lazily he dragged his finger along the dirty-covered ground, occasionally picking up a pebble and flicking it into the distance. A lull in the group's conversation drew his attention to a sniffle coming from his left.

 _Shit. Allura's crying._

The red paladin tried to nonchalantly glance in Allura's direction, hoping she wouldn't notice _him_ noticing _her_. After all she probably felt bad enough without the embarrassment of crying in front of the team. Luckily the others seemed oblivious as Hunk started to tell a story that caused him to flail his arms wildly. Keith couldn't help but snort out a laugh at his antics.

"I'm glad you find joy in my misery," Allura sneered, not even sparing Keith a sideways glance.

Keith was taken aback by her sharp accusation, anger rising in his chest. Storming away from her without so much as an explanation was tempting, to say the least. Instead he employed his oft-used creed of "patience yields focus". Instead of leaving he moved his left hand to cover her right, which was now balled into a fist as it rested on her knee.

"Allura, I wasn't-" he started, pausing to swallow tightly. "I would never laugh at your pain."

She finally looked at him, _really looked at him,_ and allowed him to see something that shattered his heart.

Her face was paler than usual, and her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably. Blue eyes caught the fading starlight, but only because of the tears that pooled under her irises. She looked like one of the many people they had rescued from the Galra's clutches: hopeless, helpless, and hurting.

Panic began to set in as Keith realized he was in way over his head, afraid that anything he said now could blow up in his face. He wanted to comfort her; no, he wanted to be comforted by her. Selfishly he needed to hear her say anything to make him feel wanted again, needed. But now wasn't the time to be greedy so he needed to find some common ground.

That's when he remembered.

Turning his head in the direction of the Black Lion, he whistled a call that he'd perfected over the last two years. His faithful companion from the long journey to the Altean colony responded just as he expected. The beautiful creature with the midnight fur and bright blue markings jumped excitedly into his lap, licking frantically at his face. Keith gave the pup a loving rub behind its ears with his right hand as he guided Allura's hand with his left. The wolf sniffed her fingers, dropping its head down in a show of trust. After a few minutes of being petted it stretched its body to lay half across both of their laps, relishing the attention of the captive groomers.

Keith looked over to Allura, scanning her face for signs of relief. His own tension started to fade when he saw her crack a smile, leaning over to nuzzle her new furry friend. Gradually the anger he'd felt welling up inside began to ebb as he realized how lonely she must have felt. She'd lost her planet, her father, her people, and now her only home.

"What do you think we should name him?" Keith asked, surprised at the sound of his own voice. He'd asked the question without even thinking.

 _We. As in the two of us. Awkward._

The Princess shot him a curious glance, then studied the space wolf more closely.

"Akira." Her response was confident, but she looked anxiously at Keith as if fearing his rejection of the name. "I mean, if you like it. It's your pet, of course."

"That's a nice name," Keith considered, not yet ready to commit. "Try using it, see if he responds."

She resumed running her fingers through the soft fur but at a slower pace than before. Her lips tightened and she moved to stand, walking towards the tail of her lion. Keith was beginning to worry that he'd put her in an uncomfortable position when she suddenly turned back towards them, slapping her open palm against her thigh.

"Akira, come."

Immediately the wolf jumped up and bounded over to her, tail wagging happily. Keith followed, enchanted by the sight of Allura, now kneeling, her arms wrapped tightly around Akira. This time, when she turned her attention back to Keith, their eyes finally met.

"I think he likes his name" Keith laughed. "And I think he likes you."

"He's a smart boy," Allura teased back, a genuine smile finally breaking through. "He's obviously been taught well."

Keith blushed at the implication but made no objection. Clearing his throat he excused himself to go check on Shiro. As he walked away he considered her remark again. Turning slightly to look over his shoulder he called back to her.

"Akira hasn't learned to stay," he confessed. "So I'd really like it if you could teach him."


End file.
